GOP Lawmaker From Arizona Acknowledges That He Is Gay

Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) reluctantly has acknowledged that he is gay, saying a magazine was about to “out” him for voting against government recognition of same-sex marriages.

“There is some relief. Certainly there’s no embarrassment,” Kolbe, 54, said Friday.

The six-term congressman issued a statement Thursday saying he is gay after learning that The Advocate, a national gay magazine, planned to identify him as homosexual in a story about the Defense of Marriage Act.

Kolbe, who is divorced, voted for the bill, which would deny federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

The congressman said some gay advocates “decided they were going to make this an issue for me.” He said he was angry, but not for long. “I felt if they were going to do that, it was time for me to stand up and be counted on this thing,” Kolbe said.

Kolbe said the bill was a states-rights issue. Approved overwhelmingly by the House on July 12, it would create a federal definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman and allow states to reject gay marriages from outside their boundaries. It awaits Senate action.

Jeff Yarbrough, editor in chief of The Advocate, said the magazine believes that it was hypocritical of Kolbe to live a “semi-open homosexual life” in certain circles in Washington but vote against a “pro-gay referendum.”

But the decision to “out” him was difficult because of his overall voting record on gay issues, Yarbrough said. The story will appear in the Aug. 20 issue.

Kolbe said he had been much more open lately after years of fending off speculation about his sexual orientation.

The announcement probably will have little effect on Kolbe’s reelection campaign, said Margaret Kenski, a pollster for the lawmaker. Calls of support streamed in from colleagues, constituents and family.